St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1887-12-01

Young man like the application of bel
lows to the fire; these "windy suspi-
rations of forced breath" blew his
flame. both for FlOrinda and the sea,
into lively heat; he could not follow
out both his longings so one fine
night, without interviewing his sweet
heart-simply because he could not
Mr. Harry stole out of the shed door
with small pack on his back, made
his way to the nearest seaport, and
persuaded whaling vessel short of
help to take him at low wages. He had
sold his own heifer calf the week be-
fore at the county fair, and with part
of her price bought a pretty gold lock-
ct, into which he had cOiled one of his
own blue black cnrls, and wrapping it
in a paper which bore upon it certain
rude but pathetic rhymes:
"Good-by sweetheart, be true to me
When / am gone on the raging sea:
And I'll be likewise taut and true
Till come back again to you, FlorrylH-
he gave it into Lame Jim's hands to
deliver. Only day or two after, Jim's
chance came Florinda went past the
Poor Farm on her way to see woman
who wOve rag carpets, and Jim cutting
across "a curve in the road Intercepted
her.
"Here's suthin' somebody told me to
give ye," he began, thrusting the tiny
packet toward her; but the sight of
her pale face and tear dimmed eyes
hurt him. "NOw don't We !" he exhOrt-
ed "what's the use On'tq tits round
world, an the more folks gets away
the nearer they gets to We. Cryin'
only swells the sea, an sighin' helps
the wind blow; you cheer up, Miss
FlOrindy ; stiffen up, an the hill won't
be hard limpsy folks has the worst
ont. Try IN sing it, singin' is the
beateree to make things jingle :" and
jim, burst out i'm an odd falsettO:
Bobby Shafto's gone to sea.
Silver buckles on his knee;
He'll come back and marry me,
Pretty Bobby ShaftO !"
FlOrinda had to laugh the irresis
tible peal did her good; she slipped
the precious packet into her pocket,
and Jim gave Il whOOp of delight as he
saw her pretty dimples deepen and her
eyes brighten.
81 told ye to sing it I'd have
knOwed the catechiz by this time if
'twould ha' jingled sO's't l could ha'
sung it but it wouldn't gee nOhow."
Florry laughed again; the idea of
Jim singing the Assembly's Catechism
was too much for her sense of fun. She
shook his rough hand heartily and
though she did shed few tears over
the lOcket as she threaded it on a rib
bon and tied it round her neck safely
and secretly, a sense of comfort stole
into her heart that dark curl was the
first link in chain that bound Harry
to her, however far away he might be.
Indeed, that ring of hair was as sa-
cred and as potent in FlOrinda's eyes
as wedding ring. In vain did all the
eligible youths of Dalton sigh or smile
at her; she would have nothing to say
to them. At last her father remOn-
strated; he was getting to be an old
man. FlOrinda's mother had been
dead several years, and the doctor felt,
as most men feel, that he would like to
see his daughter married before he
must of need leave her lonely. She
had just refused the young minister of
Cotton HOllOw-a youth of good looks
intelligence, high principles, and,
strange to say, modest patrimOny of
his own besides his salary. But Flo
rinda sent him off too, as she had all
the rest.
"Didn't you like Mr.. Vail, Florry 2"
asked the doctor, in sort of depress-
ing way; for he did not quite under
stand Miss FlOrinda, if he was her fa-
Their.
''If had liked him, he wOnld not
have gone away in such lugubriOus
fashion, daddy"
The DOCTORS face grew grave, though
FlOrry's dimpled with the recollection
of the young parsons rueful cOunte-
nance. She was not soft-hearted-tO-
ward young men at least.
''FlOrinda, my dear, cannot live al
ways. l wish l could leave you in
some good mans care for life"
''Oh, daddy, stop arranging your
funeral. You may Outlive me yet"
She saw her fathers face darken now
was her time. The dimples vanished;
the softly moulded features seemed to
set into hardness, there was resolute
ring in her young voice as she went on:
"Father, you may as well know it first
as last; shall never marry anybody
but Harry Dennis while the world en-
dures."
"Harry Dennis No doubt he's food
for fishes by this time. When fell
low goes off for three years and no
body hears from him, he's either dead
or worse"
"But 1 have heard from him till this
last year," answered Florinda.
"You-have 2" gasped the doctor.
eyes his mother has heard, and l
have had messages. He is true to me.
Perhaps he is dead it is so lOug now
but if he is will live widow. l
had rather be Harry Dennis's widow
than any living mans wife,"
The doctor gave long whistle
then he sighed. Had one of his pretty
fan tailed pigeons flown at him and
tried to peck his eyes out, or his pet
Alderney heifer approached him with
lowered horns and threatening losses
of the head, he could not have been
more astonished. "Welll well ]" he
said, in sort of despair; "there's ev
cry prospect that you will be widow,
or an old maid. Men are now and
then tickle, even if they don't always
die. A year is long time"
FlOrry could not answer. She felt
for her lOcket through the light folds
of her summer dress and the presence
of that silent pledge seemed to strength
en- her. She turned away to her Occu-
patiOns in the kitchen, and her father
climbed into his dusty old buggy and
drove off on his daily round. He had
seen women before, and he was thank |
full that circumstances had taken the
control of his daughters wilfulness
from his hands. He was thankful IL |
little prematurely.
AS for FlOrry, she betOOk herself to
good works to sOlace her aching and |
heart, as most women do